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The weekend weather

Weather UndergroundThis has been a common sight in Santa Barbara, Calif., this week, where wildfires have destroyed over 200 homes. Hot temperatures, low humidities, and especially strong winds funneling down tinder-box canyons, have been the cause.

Our now seven-day wet streak isn't over yet, but it is showing signs of winding down. Any rain that does fall today should be spotty in nature, although that having been said, much of the rain we've gotten in this stubborn setup has been pulse-like in intensity, so any given area could be subject to a quick deluge if the skies do open.

The chance of precipitation for today, Friday night and Saturday is just 40-50 percent, so it's also possible the areas you happen to be in could stay dry. I wouldn't bet on it, necessarily, but neither would I cancel any outdoor plans for early this weekend.

The big switch in our weather patterns comes Sunday, when sunshine is expected to return in force and all the murk of the past several days is blown out of here on what should be pretty gusty winds. Welcome, high pressure!

Temperatures should be of little concern over the weekend, with forecast highs of 73-75 for the next three days, a bit above normal. Given the changeable nature of the rain impulses we've been getting, it's hard to nail down exactly where the thermometer will decide to top out today and tomorrow, but mild will be the word.

Through 4 p.m. yesterday Central Park had received 3.78 inches of rain for this month of May, which already puts us within the normal precipitation of range for the entire month, which typically sees 4.69 inches of rain.

Returning to the subject of precip streaks we addressed a few days ago, if we look at only measureable precipitation, discounting days with just a trace, the all-time record for Central Park is 12 straight days, in 2003. Our current seven-day streak places us fifth on that list, which isn't terribly special.

Yesterday's extreme temperatures in the contiguous United States --- High: 108 at Pecos, Texas; Low: 26 at Mullan Pass, Idaho.